Method of making three dimensional images



Unite States Patent METHOD or MAKING THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGES I Hans E. Hollman, Oxnard, Calif, assignor to Beryl B. Hunt, Santa Barbara, Calif.

No Drawing. Application November 3, 1955 Serial N0. 544,839

1 Claims. 01. 41-24 My invention relates to the creation of individual images in has-relief by a combination of photo engraving and repousse.

The fabrication of three dimensional portraiture has long been sought without achieving any satisfactory re sults that were acceptable and at the same time economically feasible. For example, photographs of persons have been glued over malleable metal sheets and the sheets have been deformed by working or pressing from the reverse side. In this fashion the nose, chin, and forehead, ;etc. of the photograph have been projected forward, the eyes have been recessed and otherwise the portrait has been Worked to give a bas-relief. Standard repousse techniques have yielded even less realistic impressions.

None of the presently available methods are effective for forming small likenesses of persons similar in size and appearance to the impressions made on modern coins. There has been a demand for such small scale has-relief for several decades as keepsakes, lockets, bracelet tokens and decorative jewelry and novelties. The cost of making a coining die, of course, is prohibitive for individual pieces, and the hand carving of pieces of metal to form the coin directly are equally prohibitive. Ordinary repousse techniques have been unavailing as the fine detail required makes this work as demanding as hand carving of the solid metal piece.

I have discovered that photo etching can be combined with repousse techniques for forming images on metal simulating the size and character of portraiture on modern coins. Furthermore, my invention lends itself to large scale production of individually different pieces. In addition my invention permits working of the pieces by relatively unskilled persons in a relatively short time. Such coin-like has-reliefs accordingly may be produced at a cost of several dollars each as compared to a cost of several hundred dollars each for individually carved likenesses on metal.

It is therefore a general object of my invention to produce has-relief images on metal with great fidelity and low cost.

Another object is to provide a photo etching and repousse technique that results in small has-relief images of great detail.

Still another object is to provide low relief images of persons on metal similar to a coin in size and in appearance.

A further object is to produce inexpensively and with clarity an image on metal wherein hand work may be performed by unskilled persons.

Other objects and features of my invention will be apparent in the following description and claims.

In carrying out my invention a photograph of the object to be reproduced in metal is first obtained. For most memento and jewelry purposes any ordinary photograph is suitable. A photograph may, however, be specially made for the particular person or object to be depicted in metal. If the photograph has sufficient conall trast and shadow, it may be utilized directly for photoengraving. More commonly, however, it is desirable to convert the photograph to a black and white form devoid of shading or variations in contrast.

I prefer at present to so prepare the photograph for etching that the background about the object willbe etched away leaving the image projecting above this etched away metal. This provides a distinct physical outline for the entire image. In addition, the photograph is preferably so formed that lines distinguishing important parts of the image are etched. For example, on a portrait, the hair line, eyebrows, nose line, mouth and ear outline are ordinarily made on the black and white (or darkened and transparent) photograph, preferably on a transparent medium. This image is then projected or printed on metal or other material having a photosensitive coating as is well known in the photoengraving art. After the usual washing or other treatment, the sheet material is ready for etching and the etch removes metal at the lines photographically formed as well as removing the background.

This etched sheet is next pressed from the reverse side against a surface. This may be done manually by rubbing with a wooden pin or rod, but preferably is done by a pressing, such as a rubber sheet placed on the back side and pressed in a press or machine delivering a uniform blow. This pressing causes the metal to be indented at the edge of the etching or engraving and in this fashion a true mirror image of the etched portions is obtained. This acts as a guide in perfect registery with the photoengraved image, thus simplying the repousse work to be done in pushing out the image portions from the reverse.

The worker may then push out the various parts of the image that must project to give proper has-relief. For example on portraits, the forehead, nose, chin and cheekbones may be projected and the teeth, eyes and ear interior may be recessed. This pressing is well known in the repousse art. While this work is ordinarily done by hand, standard dies may be employed where the image size is the same for portraits of different persons and the view is the same, for example, full face view, profile or three quarter.

After the repousse work is finished, the obverse side may be Worked by reverse repousse, hand engraving tool, etc. to give the fine details to the image thus produced. It is a feature of my invention, however, that such metal working can be minimized or eliminated completely. By properly selecting the photograph or touching up photographs or black and white reproductions of photographs, the photoengraving will bring out these fine features so necessary to faithful and artistic reproductions.

Thus ordinary photographs can be so taken that the individual teeth will be photo etched, the wrinkles and dimples on skin will be reproduced, hair swirls and even individual hairs may be reproduced. This is particularly so when the photograph or touched up photograph is large in size. These fine details will then show up on the greatly reduced photoengraving of coin size.

Having once finished the has-relief on thin metal sheet or other sheet material, the resemblance 'to a coin can be completed by molding to the metal sheet a solid such as plastic, plaster or solder, and the whole piece may be coated to give an appearance of uniformity of material. In this way three dimensional figures may be formed on thin copper sheet, the backing and sheet copper plated to a uniform color and surface that cannot be distinguished from a coin of uniform metal.

A modification of my invention is the printing on the reverse side of the sheet of a mirror image of the image to be formed on the obverse side. This printing is preferably done by a photomarking process. This photo- Patented Oct. 21, 1958 etch or photoengraving. In any event. the photomarking.

ne'e'd'be only'very slightinasmuch as it serves asa'guide only'andnotas permanent ornamentation. The repous'se wo'rk'lng merely uses this markingpon the reverse side. as

a guide in pushing out the metal to. form the has-relief" onlthe'lobverseside;

This reverse side marking is most effective however when itis employed withan obverse side photoengraving. Tlie photoengravingoutlines the image as well as the features and. ornamentation thereof as. previously. discussed'lthus increasing the realism effect compared to'a plainrep'ou's'se. rn such cases the reverse side imagei's a m'ii'lrorima'g'e. in registry with the image on the obverse side;

In. actual production I have found that it is desirable to work one photograph of relatively large size, for example; two inches square or larger. A number of photograph'sthus prepared may be then reduced in size optically until they are the desired coin size, for example, three quarters of an inch: or'less. Such reproductions may beplaced upon a strip of'film for example, a 35 mm. film, 16 mm. film, or other commercial type of film strip: This film may be adhered or. otherwise closely placed against a copper strip of similar dimensions and theimage printed upon the photosensitized copper strip. The" individually etched images may be cut from the.

sti'ipfor-indivi'dual working and the etched surface; may be'placed againsta solid metal surface and pressed from.

the=rear WIihE'IUbbBISIWBiTO create'the indentations outlining the image and the features thereof. The worker may"manuall'y press out the ima'geusing these indented features as a guide, thus finishing the repoussework.

Various embellishments of therepousse' work may be obtained, the most spectacular of which is the reproduction of aph'otograph image on top of the repousse. For

this" purpose the" work may be done in silvermetah or themet'al itself silver plated and then photosensitized by forming" appropriate silver' salts or compounds thereon. The'ph'otograph image is then projected on the repousse work inregistry therewith giving precise photographic details of 'all sorts.

Another type of embellishment is done by merely darkening the finished rep'ousse and then rubbing off the high points to create highlights. In most types of work I prefer tofinely sandblast the finished work so as to remov'e'the smooth metal surface from the unetched portions thereof giving an increased artistic effect.

Various other modifications, variations and embellishments of my photoengraving process will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, I claim all such modifications and variations as come within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

1 The method of forming athree dimensional image on' asheet of deformable metal comprising; photoengra ing one side of said sheet to outline the image thereon and to mark out important features thereof; pressing the engraved side of said sheet against a surf-ace by applying pressure to the reverse side until the reverse side of the sheet is indented at the engraved portions thereof and pressing the reverse side of said sheet locally within the outline and deforming portions marked by the feature engravings to form a has-relief on the engraved side thereofi 2. The method of forming a three dimensional image as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bas-relief is worked on the obverse side tocomplete the details of three dimensional image.

3. The'method of forming a three dimensional image in bas-relief on a sheet of deformable metal comprising: photoengraving a two dimensional representation of said image on the obverse side of said sheet to delineate important features thereof; coating the reverse side of said metal sheet with. a photosensitive compound;.optically projectingupon the reverse side. of said. sheet. the mirror: image of the engraved image and in registry with. said. engraved. image so that the. reverse side. is photomarked on said photosensitive compound; and. pressing. saidsheet. on photomarked portions thereof to deform said. sheet. into a has-relief on the obverse side thereof.

4. The method of forming a has-relief image on a.

sheet of deformable metal comprising: coating the reverse side of'the metal sheet with a photosensitive com.- pound; optically projecting upon the reverse side of said sheet a mirror image of the bas-relief to bev produced to photographi'cally mark the reverse side with said mirror. image; and pressing said reverse side locally within the photomarkings to deform the sheet and form a has-relief. on the obverse side thereof.

51 The method of forming a three dimensional. image.- in bas-reliefon a sheet of deformable metal'comprising: photoengraving a two dimensional representation. of'said image on the obverse side of said sheet to delineate. im: portant features thereof; marking the reverse side ofsaidlsheet with the mirror image of said' photoengraving and in registry with said photoengraving;, and pressing. saidlsheet from the reverse side within the confines of' said mirror image to deform the sheet into a three di mensi'onal image.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the marking on the reverse side is obtained by pressing the sheet against a surface andindenting it locally in the lines of the photo etch.

7. The method of. claim 5 wherein themarking on the reverse side is a photo marking accomplished by coating the reverse side with a photosensitive compound and thereafter optically projecting a mirror image of said has relief image upon said reverse side.

References (Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 615,026 -Hulbe1't Nov. 29, 1898 2,279,446 Cooke Apr. 14, 1942 2,656,634 Varner Oct. 27, 1953 

